1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the translation of text phrases from a source language to a target language. The present invention specifically relates to a management of such a translation that facilitates an effective operation of a source code control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Software developers utilize some form of a source code control system for organizing, tracking, and maintaining an evolving source code configuration of a national language support (NLS) application. Each text phrase (e.g., “File”, “Edit”, “View”, “Insert”, “Format”, “Tools”, “Table”, “Window” and “Help” on a toolbar of a word processing NLS application) in a source language (hereinafter “source language text phrase”) is extracted from the source code and placed within an external master text file which serves as a basis for multiple translation of the source language text phrases therein. While known source code control systems can perform a comprehensive management of the source code configuration, the prior art source code control systems typically fail to perform a comprehensive management of the master text file during various translation of the source language text phrases therein.
Specifically, such systems often fail to address several issues. The first issue is a modification of a source language text phrase within the master text file while minimizing, if not preventing, inadvertent overwrites and corruption of other source language text phrases within the master text file. The second issue is an importation management of a translated text file that provides a notification of the translated text file being an incomplete translation of the master text file. The third issue is an importation management of a translated version of a source language text phrase (hereinafter “target language text phrase”) being a translation of an incorrect version of the source language text phrase. The present invention addresses these issues.